Adventure

Armed with some of the minor successes I have had along the way, I just today concluded my greatest travel success to date.

While on the airplane coming back from Hong Kong to Bangkok, somewhere mid way through the flight, I changed course. I had planned to go back to my beloved Thong Nai Pan beach where I began my journey. But I started to reconsider. I have been there already. I know it will be beautiful and relaxing. But I opt for something new. Ko Chang was another island I planned to visit from the beginning if I had time. And my friend Ian had recommended Lonely Beach. I re-read the guide book and was convinced... mainly hooked by the comments about "Burning Man" vibe and "fire spinning". Woo hoo! Let's go.

Trouble is... I had no idea how to get there from the airport and I did not want to waste another day sitting in Bangkok figuring it out. No. I needed to somehow make it to Ko Chang right now, tonight. Furthermore, I was determined, for the hell of it, to do it via public transportation only. No expensive taxis. No tourist packages or travel agencies. Worst case, I would fail and find a guesthouse in Bangkok somewhere.

I found the free shuttle bus from the airport to the public transit terminal a couple miles away. This is absolutely something Bangkok Airport seems to make intentionally difficult. You have to walk by tons of touts trying to herd you on to their tourist VIP busses, and waive off taxi offers. Only after asking several workers did i find the shuttle bus stop. The sign for it is all in Thai, no English like there is on every other sign. I wait sort of uncertain for the shuttle, not sure what it looks like. Lots of buses stop here. I get on one that says "Shuttle" and cross my fingers. I ride around the airport campus picking up nothing but Thai airport workers. Stop after stop. I am the only non Thai on a completely packed bus. Still crossed. Eventually, we get to the bus depot. Awesome! And a new world opens up. Cheap transportation, even to Khao San Road (for about 1/5 the price from the airport curb), for those farang lucky enough to make it this far.

But I don't want to go there. I want to go to Trat, near the Cambodia border (a 5 1/2 hour drive). I am looking for a schedule of buses here - the first place on my list to stop since they have a chance of knowing the schedule. My guide book says the the bus really leaves from the Eastern Station. So I figured I could make my decision here whether to go to the other station or find a guest house. No luck though. They don't have a schedule or don't understand me. They tell me "last bus [from here] 6:45 "finished! try tomorrow". I still think that maybe there is another schedule from the other station and so I decide to go there. Determined. This bus station can get me to the Skytrain station for under $1 (in an A/C bus no less)where I can take the Skytrain to the bus station, also for under $1.

I mosey into the bus station around 10 pm and find that there is, in fact, a midnight bus to Trat. No way! I have two hours to find some dinner and I'll be there by morning. Ehhhhhhxcelent.

I eat dinner at Vientiane Kitchen, a fitting choice for my return from Hong Kong, seeing that Vientiane, Laos was the last town I stayed in before going to Hong Kong. Nice place, good food, live Lao guitar music, Beer Lao and fried chicken... fuel for my journey. I also pick up some water and peanut M&M's (mmm).

The bus is supposed to get to Trat at 5am and the first ferry to Ko Chang is at 6am. The bus actually gets to Trat at 4:10am. Ugh. I take a sawngthaw to the ferry town which is actually 20 km away, so get there 5ish anyway. I buy my ferry ticket and I'm on Ko Chang right at sunrise, where I take another sawngthaw to Lonely Beach and seek out my new beach home.. a cheap and basic, but stylish bungalow, right on the Gulf of Thailand...

...and then I crash out asleep. Victorious.